Fitness Advice

Introduction

The majority of those taking part in fundraising events are not career athletes.  If your event involves some serious exercise (cycling, trekking, running etc) it is imperative that you follow a reasonably serious course of training in order to get the maximum benefit.  We would rather you were enjoying the scenery and the experience rather than worrying about your fitness!

Whilst most fundraising events are not meant for high-performance athletes they are nevertheless a challenge and require a high standard of fitness. In preparation, you should think about the following basic pointers as well as the other specialist advice in this section

• Start slow and build up to longer distances and faster speeds. If you start too fast you will injure yourself in the first few weeks of training and you will need to take time off to recover. This will delay your progress by a month or more and will ultimately reduce your final fitness rather than enhance it. 
• Eat well – dieticians recommend that we eat five helpings of vegetables, salad or fruit every day and plenty of complex carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread, pasta, brown rice, beans, peas and lentils.
• When training, eat little and often (e.g. nuts, fruit, sandwiches) and drink small amounts at frequent intervals, before you’re thirsty.  Don’t make the mistake of not drinking in order to avoid having to go to the loo! Please note alcohol is a diuretic which means it actually dehydrates you which is completely the opposite of what you are trying to achieve - sorry!
• Ensure your shoes or boots fit well and wear socks to prevent blisters. Start training now in the footwear that you will be wearing when you take part in your event to ensure they are well worn in!
• If you are going to be cycling then gets lots of time in the saddle now. Most people aren't used to sitting on a 3 inch-wide piece of plastic/leather so you need to practice in advance to get your body used to this! Take our word for it a sore bum from not being used to a saddle is VERY unpleasant!!

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